Christchurch Earthquake 2011

Question 1

Magnitude?

Answer 1

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck New Zealand at 12:51 on 22 February 2011.

Question 2

Where was the epicenter?

Answer 2

The epicentre was 6 miles South East of Christchurch and the focus was very shallow at 3.1 miles.

Question 3

Where did the earthquake occur?

Answer 3

The earthquake occurred on a conservative plate margin where the Pacific Plate slid past the Australian Plate in the opposite direction.

Question 4

What was this earthquake technically?

Answer 4

It was technically an aftershock from a larger earthquake in 2010 but the impacts were more severe.

Question 5

What are the primary effects of an earthquake?

Answer 5

Effects caused directly by the earthquake

Question 6

How many people were killed?

Answer 6

181 people were killed

Question 7

How many people were injured?

Answer 7

around 2,000 people were injured.

Question 8

What was damaged?

Answer 8

Hundreds of kilometres of water and sewage pipes were damaged.

Question 9

How much % of central city buildings were severely damaged?

Answer 9

50% + of Central City buildings severely damaged including the city’s cathedral which lost its spire.

Question 10

What caused lots of damage to roads and buildings?

Answer 10

Liquefaction, where the ground gets saturated and loses strength

Question 11

What was broken off?

Answer 11

Part (size of 20 football fields) of the country’s longest glacier was broken off creating a large iceberg

Question 12

How much % of the city was without electricity?

Answer 12

80%

Question 13

What are the secondary effects of an earthquake?

Answer 13

Secondary effects are the result from primary effects

Question 14

What happened to businesses and what was the result?

Answer 14

Businesses were put out of action for long periods causing losses of income and jobs

Question 15

What did damage to the road through liquefaction lead to?

Answer 15

Damage to roads through liquefaction made it difficult for people and emergency services to move around

Question 16

What happened to people mentally?

Answer 16

People were affected mentally by the earthquakes and needed support

Question 17

What happened to a large event that was going to take place in Christchurch?

Answer 17

Christchurch could no longer host Rugby World Cup matches so lost the benefits, e.g. tourism and income, they would bring

Question 18

Name some short-term responses?

Answer 18

Care, protection from buildings, chemical toilets, areas were zoned, international aid:

• Cared for the most vulnerable people
• and ensured people were safe from dangerous buildings
• Chemical toilets were provided for 30,000 residents
• Areas were zoned (green, orange, white, red) to classify damage/cost of repairs
• International aid was provided in the form of money (around $6-7 million) and aid workers

Question 19

Name some long-term responses?

Answer 19

$898M paid, termporary housing, water and sewerage, roads and houses.

• Paid $898 million in building claims
• Provided temporary housing and ensured all damaged housing was kept watertight
• Water and sewerage was restored for all residents by August
• Roads and houses were cleared of silt from liquefaction by August and 80% of roads/50% of footpaths were repaired